Locking device for covers of portholes of ships or other openings



May 1, 1923.

J. H. CLARKE LOCKING DEVICE FOR COVERS OF PORTHOLES OF SHIPS OR OTHER OPENINGS Filed Dec. 6, 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Mail, 1923.

- J. H. CLARKE LOCKING DEVICE FOR COVERS 0F PORTHOL ES OF SHIPS OR OTHER OPENINGS Filed Dec. 6, 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 fiavezzfor Patented tit r 3923 its.

JOHN H. CLARKE, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

LOCKING DEVICE FOR COVERS 01 PORTZEIOLES OF SHIPS OR OTHER OPENINGS.

Application filed December To all whomit may concern:

Be it known that 1, Jenn Hanwoon CLARKE, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing in London,-England, have invented a certain new and useful Locking Device for Covers of Portholes of Ships or Other Openings, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to means for locking the covers of port holes for ships or like openings and consists'in a device by which these holes can be readily closed but can only be opened by persons provided with a suitably constructed key.

For this purpose dogs are suitably spaced in known manner round the circumference of the fixed base ring of the opening and correspondingly arranged lugs on a rotatable locking ring are adapted to be wedged under the dogs when the opening is closed.

According to the invention, a bolt or catch is adapted to slide under spring pressure in a boring provided in one of the dogs and to engage in a notch in the corresponding lug on the locking ringf A beveled leading edge provided on the lug engaging with the beveled end of the bolt causes the latter to be withdrawn against the spring pressure as the locking ring is rotated into the closing position; the

bolt snaps forward when a notch in the lu is opposite the bolt and the straight side or the notch prevents the rotation of the ring in the direction to uncover the hole.

As the shank of the bolt is well within the boring provided in the dog, the boltcan only be withdrawn by the insertion of a suitabl formed key.

n the accompanying drawing which represents an example of aconstruction according to the invention as applied to means for closing the port hole of a ship, Fig. 1 is an elevation, Fig. 2 a plan, and Fig. 3 a section on the line 33 of Fig. 1.

1 is a port hole on the ships hull, 2 a carrier hinged at 3 to a fixed base ring a. A locking ring 5 rotatably mounted in the carrier 2 is provided with lugs 6 adapted to be wedged when the port hole is closed under dogs 7 spaced round the base ring i. r'i lever 8 is screw-threaded into a socket 9 hinged at 10 to a lug 11 of the locking ring 5; the other end of the lever 8 is connected by abiaxial joint 12 to a link 13, which is connected by a triaxial joint 14 to the car- 6, 1921. Serial No. 520,429.

sane

rier 52-. VVhen the lever is pulled outwards by the handle 15, the locking ring 5 is rotated. in the anticlockwise direction to withdraw the lugs 6 from the dogs 7. This movement isv limited by a stop 16 engaging with a collar 17 on'the hinge 3. The further movement of the lever 8 causes the carrier to turn upon the hinge 3 and open the port hole. Conversely, or moving thehandle 15 inwards the port hole is first closed and then securely locked by the engagement of the wedge shaped lugs 6 with the dogs 7 The arrangements so far described are similar to those shown in British Patent No. 8022 of 1913.

According to the present invention, in order that the port hole may not be uncovered by an unauthorized person, a bolt 18 is adapted to slide in a boring 19 pro-' vided in one or" the dogs 7 and is pressed forward so as to engage in a notch 20 in one of the lugs 6 by a spring 21 coiled round the bolt and held between a collar 22 on the bolt and a second collar 23 screwthreaded into the opening '19, the collar 22 serving also to limit the forward movement of the bolt. As the outward end of the bolt 18 lies within the boring 19, the bolt can only be withdrawn by the insertion in the opening of a suitably formed key.

In the example shown the bolt is formed with an external thread which is engaged by an internal thread 2a of a key 25, the shank of which can be inserted in the bor- I ing 19. The bolt is withdrawn by rotating the key and the locking ring 5 can be rotated by the lever 8 until the lugs 6 are free from the dogs 7.

In order to obtain a rapid withdrawal of the bolt, the bolt may be provided with a double or triple thread.

Other forms of key may be used for Withdrawing the bolt, for example a tumbler operated by a small lock of the Yale or Bramah type.

As the locking ring 5 is rotated to close the port holes, a bevel 26 on the leading edge of that lug 6'with which the bolt 18 is associated encounters a corresponding bevel 27 on the end of the bolt 18 and forces it outwards against the resistance of the spring 21; as soon as the notch 20 is opposite the bolt, the latter snaps forwards and locks the ring, since the straight shoulder 28 engaging with the straight side of the bolt ill prevents the ring from rotatin in the direction for unlocking the ring until the bolt has been Withdrawn by the key.

As shown in Fig. 3, the locking ring 5 may be dovetailed in the carrier 2 Which may have ring 29 of rubber or other packing and support, a central glass 30; these arrangements are, however, WGll known and do not form part of the present invention.

i'laving tins described the nature of the said invention and the best means 1 know oil carrying the sa ine into practical effect I claim Means for closing and opening openings in the sides of ships, the said means comprising in combination a base ring, a earlier ring hinged to said base ring, a looking ring rotatably mounted in said carrier ring, dog-s spaced round said base ring, Wedge shaped lugs on said locking ring, a socket hinged to a lug of said locking ring,

a lever screw-threaded in said socket, a link connected by a triaxial joint to said carrier and by a biaxial joint to said lever, one of said dogs having a bore, a bolt slidable in said bore and having a bevel and a straight shoulder on its free end, the wedge-shaped lug with which said bored dog is associated having a notch and a straight shoulder and provided on its leading edge with a bevel to engage, when in the closing position, With the bevel on the end of said bolt, and the straight shoulder on the notch engaging in the closed position with the straight shoulder on the end of the bolt, and a spring in said here ada r ed to force said bolt into env agei'nent with said notch and lock sald locking ring against rotation in one direction' In testimony Whereoi I have signed my name to this specification.

JQHN H. CLARKE. 

